Fair points, particularly about the definition of art itself being subjective. tacocat made the point Which I would disagree with wholeheartedly. Music, dance, and even figure skating are art to me. Obviously, he doesn't think so, but that's fine. Both views are equally valid, so long as we don't go to war over it. Anyway, I was hoping to get a response with some sort of education/formal experience with visual art, and you seem like the guy to ask. Can you give me an example of some pieces of modern art that really struck you? My only practical experience with modern art are from Irish artists in Irish art galleries, which is a very small sample.Ballroom dance and ice skating are performance, art creates an object and if you create the object you intended to then you've succeeded.
Alright. Did some searching, and found a bunch of examples of modern art that I think have good artistic merit. I'm not saying these are "stand the test of time" type pieces of art, but instead: modern artists aren't all bad. Given I found so many examples, I'm going to break apart what I found into 4 different comments deviantart street art moma because to put it all in one comment would be way too much.youtube
Here's art I found on DeviantArt. I tried to find artists on the site who showed actual artistic talent, and chose examples so I can show there are artists alive currently just starting out or currently practicing who have good skills. http://asahisuperdry.deviantart.com/art/Fire-monk-554153481 http://nataliadrepina.deviantart.com/art/Black-birds-give-me-your-wings-554197460 http://zancan.deviantart.com/art/Cinnamon-Breath-12527747 http://ayamefataru.deviantart.com/art/SuFfiKaytIon-14041305 http://agnes-cecile.deviantart.com/art/drawing-restraint-186689303 http://agnes-cecile.deviantart.com/art/antimonocromatismo-II-182419523 http://gunnerromantic.deviantart.com/art/eden-is-not-enough-fin-42245780 http://gunnerromantic.deviantart.com/art/Life-Skirt-86962426 http://marknewman.deviantart.com/art/Gymnast-almost-fin-2-120880351 http://fore-f.deviantart.com/art/TimeLineDetail-121627278 http://fore-f.deviantart.com/art/Octo-61909720 http://fore-f.deviantart.com/art/BurnPiece-121626504 http://fore-f.deviantart.com/art/samurai-Mustard-123804495 http://fore-f.deviantart.com/art/Temperature-Up-100500461 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Wieskirche-117794921 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Royal-Route-Warsaw-156527382 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Winter-days-1-146751009 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Garbus-148276593 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/City-Hall-Praha-117581937 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Waterscape-01-72611529 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Casa-Batllo-64077628 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/Sunny-Vienna-69223247 http://micorl.deviantart.com/art/akwarelka80-134243371 http://www.deviantart.com/art/Santa-Maria-Nascente-50151548 http://www.deviantart.com/art/Hofburg-74695924 http://alifann.deviantart.com/art/Memories-smell-like-flowers-193804634 http://alifann.deviantart.com/art/Ceramic-Skin-361305711 http://alifann.deviantart.com/art/Struggle-II-151268025 http://alifann.deviantart.com/art/Fairytales-of-life-and-death-157284590 http://alifann.deviantart.com/art/oil-on-canvas10-88527057 http://takmaj.deviantart.com/art/Glyptotek-437443716 http://takmaj.deviantart.com/art/Vietnamese-Fishermen-56x76cm-516719590 http://creaturesfromel.deviantart.com/art/Celtic-Wild-Boar-with-Forest-291348259
Here are some things I found in two different MOMAs. Again, these aren't stand the test of time type art, but instead... in honesty, out of the four types of art I collected, these are my least favorite, and there only a few in here I genuinely like. I included a bunch though to show variety. I really do wish modern art museums would step up their game, though. http://www.sfmoma.org/explore/collection/artwork/262 http://www.moma.org/collection/works/186783?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/190156?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/170619?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/177615?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/186273?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/174295?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/177636?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/175942?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/169039?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/163921?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/158214?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/156386?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/156630?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/155898?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/179295?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/163641?locale=en http://www.moma.org/collection/works/150421?locale=en
There's a website called Wooster Collective which keeps track of street art and the like from all over the world. Here are some examples: http://www.woostercollective.com/post/seen-on-the-streets-of-lima1 http://www.woostercollective.com/post/nazza-pays-tribute-to-martha-cooper http://www.woostercollective.com/post/alexis-diaz-and-stinkfish-in-toulouse-france http://www.woostercollective.com/post/new-wall-from-inti-in-istanbul-turkey http://www.woostercollective.com/post/vinz-remixes-picasso-la-marca-spana http://www.woostercollective.com/post/one-not-to-miss-alexandros-vasmoulakis-solo-show-in-athens http://www.woostercollective.com/post/one-not-to-miss-roa-at-black-rat-press-in-london http://www.woostercollective.com/post/fresh-stuff-from-david-walker http://www.woostercollective.com/post/li-hill-lost-habitat-time-lapse http://www.woostercollective.com/post/weekly-offering-a-3d-mural-from-laguna http://www.woostercollective.com/post/one-not-to-miss-jessica-joslins-brass-bone-at-lisa-sette-gallery-in-scottsd http://www.woostercollective.com/post/shit-were-diggin-the-art-of-simon-birch http://www.woostercollective.com/post/shit-were-diggin-the-art-of-rai-escale http://www.woostercollective.com/post/shit-were-diggin-the-neon-graffiti-of-shok-1 http://www.woostercollective.com/post/seen-on-the-streets-of-quito-ecuador
As for your first paragraph, I think anything can be art. Tying my shoes, wind blowing through trees on my outside walks, any sort of light falling on any sort of every day object in just the right way... I'll stop, amazed and say to myself: wow. As for your second paragraph: first day Aunt Flow has visited me (yes, strange thing for a guy to say). My mind is mush, and I am leaving in near future for caffeine, unhealthy amounts of sugar, and hamburger meat. Is it alright if I get back to you about this til mind is working clearly again? For right now, only thing I can think to say is abstract expressionism, futurism, de kooning, paul klee et al, a tiny bit of basquiat, some amazing street art, some kick ass performance art, but that was mostly pre 21st century, and may not be modern enough for you. I'll look, however, and try to find more present-day examples.